This invention relates to a compartmental cartridge for dispensing measured amounts of viscous materials. Such materials could include, for example, two component reactant silicone materials, two component epoxy adhesives, or other multi-component materials as are known in the art.
Multi-component cartridges have been commercially used. Such cartridges have typically employed twin syringes, or in the industrial area, a cartridge is known having a divider strip which is operated by twin plungers within the cartridge. This latter package requires special application hardware which is why it is limited to industrial applications. Another alternative which is known in the art is the use of a pair of bags within the cartridge and the use of a single plunger which compresses both bags simultaneously, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,682. This approach has not proven very successful since it is rather crude and is subject to viscosity variations between the components in each of the bags which would interfere with the uniformity of delivery of each of the components.
In yet another approach, a single plunger is employed which directly forces one of the products or materials through an outlet and flattens the separating membrane so as to compress the other material out of the separate discharge port or outlet. This approach is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,671.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,611 discloses a dual component dispenser having a tear foil overlying a slot provided in a wall which defines a pair of divided compartments. As the plunger is moved towards the discharge end, the foil is torn by the downward movement of the plunger. The torn or separated portion of the foil, however, remains within the filled section of one of the compartments. The problem with this approach is that the foil is torn by the forward face of the plunger and, therefore, if it does not tear properly, there is the possibility of losing the integrity of the seal between the respective compartments.
Accordingly, the invention disclosed herein provides a cartridge for simultaneously dispensing at least two different materials in desired amounts which is inexpensive, reliable and maintains the materials separate from one another until they are fully dispensed from the cartridge.